Question

An airplane flew with the wind for 2.5 hours and returned the same distance against the wind in 3.5 hours. If the cruising speed of the plane was a constant 360 mph in air, how fast was the wind blowing

Answer 1

Answer:

60 miles per hour.

Step-by-step explanation:

Let r represent speed of wind blowing in miles per hour.          

We have been given that the cruising speed of the plane was a constant 360 mph in air. The speed of the plane is the direction of wind would be $360+r$.

The speed of the plane is the opposite direction of wind would be $360-r$.

$\text{Distance}=\text{Speed}\times \text{Time}$

Distance covered in the direction of wind would be $2.5(360+r)$.

Distance covered in the opposite direction of wind would be $3.5(360-r)$.

Since both distances are same, so we will get:

$2.5(360+r)=3.5(360-r)$

$900+2.5r=1260-3.5r$

$900-900+2.5r+3.5r=1260-900-3.5r+3.5r$

$6r=360$

$\frac{6r}{6}=\frac{360}{6}$

$r=60$

Therefore, the wind is blowing at a rate of 60 miles per hour.